One Last Look
by ShadowMoonSedai
Summary: When we are chosen to save the world, we must sometimes make choices that will only cause our own destruction.(chapters4 AND 5 up. :))
1. One Last Look

One Last Look

Prologue

The two children ran happily among the snow, kicking up clouds to try and hide their place from the other. 

"You're slow!" yelled one, the girl, her light brown hair a mess from the wind. "Come on, Dart!" He laughed and tackled her, pushing her into a nearby bank. "Ahh! Hey!"

"You asked for it, Koro," he said. She grinned and pushed him off.

"That was still unfair. You're bigger then me."

"I can't help that." She made a face, then laughed, the smile spreading to her blue eyes. "So, Snow Bunny, what do we do now?"

"We're six and ten, Dart. There's not much we *can* do." He shrugged. 

"It's up to you."

"Oh, so the big Dart is too tired from playing with a little *girl* to be creative?" she taunted. He stuck out his tongue.

"That's not funny." She pushed him playfully, knocking him over. 

"Oh, it was very funny," she said. "And I have a better sense then you, mister 'don't-run-around-Neet-Square-in-her-shirt-sleeves'."

"You're father would absolutely kill me if he knew about that," he said firmly. "And you know that."

"Ah, pshaw. I have the guards and soldiers to watch me. You're my playmate, Dart, and my friend... or so I thought." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly.

"Always my friend first," he said reassuringly. "And a princess second."

Chapter One - Shortly after Shana's Kidnapping by Zeig

"Ack! There's so many people!" Meru darted among the throngs of shoppers in the market and stopped when there was a clearing. Rose left their group to go look at the weapons booths and Miranda followed, eager to find a new bow. Kongol seemed out of place, but paid little heed to anyone who looked at him oddly. He was more intent on the activity and how it worked. Dart remained calm, despite the part of him that had always been happy at markets. The days of *that* were long gone. 

Albert excused himself to go look at cloaks and Haschel simply wandered off. That left Dart alone to look through the wares, all while maintaining a bored and indifferent look. He stopped at a jeweler's booth, thinking both of Shana's love of beautiful jewelry and of someone else's, someone who had died with his past. 

"May I help you?" asked a soft voice. He looked up and locked eyes with the silver haired matron, blue in gray. Her hair wasn't colored with age and her face was youthful, but saddened somehow. 

"No," he said, studying her eyes intently. There was something about them, despite their color. "No, I was just looking." She nodded.

"Perhaps for a girlfriend?" The comment was bold, but she made it sound starkly normal. Her eyes glanced at Miranda and Rose momentarily and he realized she had seen them all together.

"No, no one I know is interested in-"

"Ooo!!" Meru came up behind him and almost pushed him away. "These are beautiful!" The matron smiled warmly and Meru went over the pieces. "Dart, don't you think they're pretty?"

"They're very nice," he agreed. Rose and Miranda came over a moment later.

"Are you Ryu Kokoro?" asked Miranda. She nodded. "One of the weapons makers sent us to you for magic weapons." Another nod.

"Come with me," she said. "What kind of weapon do you need?"

"A bow," said Miranda. Kokoro opened a flap of cloth, leading to a shop that also doubled as living quarters obviously. She indicated a line of weapons against a wall. Dart saw a multitude of swords and various other weapons. 

"These are what I have," she said. "I don't know if they'll be any better for you then the other makers, but you can see." Meru was a bit more inquisitive about the rest of the room and gravitated towards a room at the back. She was about to push the curtain aside when Kokoro spotted her. "Don't go in there," she warned in a firm voice. Meru stopped and looked at Dart, who shook his head. She pouted and plopped on a stool, pouting. No one ever usually told her no. He had to smile at that. 

Miranda handled the bows each carefully, somehow finding fault in each one. She sighed and shook her head finally. Kokoro nodded, just as a crash came from the back room. 

"What in the name of-?!" Kokoro rushed into the curtain and came out a few moments later, carrying another bow, along with a broken staff under her arm. She set the staff pieces on the kiln and handed the bow to Miranda. "Try this one. I had forgotten about it." Miranda took the bow and something settled in the air. She examined the bow, turning it in her hands before lifting it up and testing the eye sight. Then she smiled and nodded.

"It's perfect," she said. "Absolutely prefect. How did you make it?"

"It's platinum," said Kokoro with a shrug. "Something my husband left to me before he ran off. I have some more in the back, but they're very fickle weapons to use. I've always gotten them back, one way or another." Miranda nodded, then chuckled.

"I'll use it wisely then," she said. "And it will stay away this time." Kokoro laughed, a familiar sound to some part of Dart.

"I believe you," she said honestly. There was a low rumble of thunder outside and she clicked her tongue against her teeth. "I have to go pick up my shop."

"We have to find our friends," said Miranda. "How much do I owe you for the bow?"

"500 gold," said Kokoro. "Do you have a place to stay for the night? There's a inn down the road. It's twenty gold a night." She nodded.

"Thank you. Come on." Rose stood from leaning on the wall and Meru straightened. She had been looking at the staff and the amulet on top. 

"I'll stay and help Kokoro take down her shop," said Dart. At the lady's start to protest, he added "It will go faster and you can beat the storm." She closed her mouth and nodded hesitantly. "It's all settled them. You guys go on to the inn and I'll meet you there in a little bit." They nodded and left. "Well, come on." They walked outside as the dark clouds finished filling up the sky. She told him where to put what and easily pulled the two supporting poles from under the overhang, letting it fall against the side of the building. The other booths had already been taken down and they were the last people on the street. Between them, they managed to bring in most of the crates and she went back into the new rain to grab the last few. Dart went to help her, resulting in both of them being soaked to the bone. His armor kept him mostly dry, but she had nothing except for her skirt and tunic. 

"Ah, that's not fun," she said, wringing the water out of her hair. "I'm going to go change. I'll get you a towel first." He nodded. "And don't think about going to the inn tonight. You wouldn't make it halfway there before you caught pneumonia."

"If you say so." She smiled and handed him a towel.

"Be right back." She disappeared behind the curtain and emerged a few minutes later in a fresh tunic and skirt. She sat down by the kiln and picked up the two parts of the staff and sighed. "I swear, I repair this thing more often then I get to use it."

"I can't imagine the Liana is a very dangerous city," he said calmly, drying his hair with the towel. He took his headband off and set it on the table next to him. "It's mainly guarded, right?" She nodded.

"But the guards can't keep out everything," she said softly. "And for that, I have this." She picked up a strip of silver metal from the top of the kiln and carefully wrapped it around the crack where the two pieces met. Then she smoothed the strip down with her fingers, oblivious to the temperature. "One of these days, I'll have this rightly repaired, instead of bandaging up the same old wound."

"Can't you do it here?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I don't have the skills," she admitted. "I can craft the stupid thing, but I can't fix it." He smiled and she chuckled. "My husband always said I could learn if I wanted to, but then why would I need him?" Dart laughed now and she joined him, laughing too. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Ryu Kokoro."

"Dart," he said. "And my friend's were Miranda, Meru, and Rose."

"Meru most have been the one who was so curious," she concluded. "And Miranda the archer." He nodded. "And let me guess, you're a swordsman."

"I try," he joked. She smiled warmly and shook her head.

"I couldn't handle a sword if my life depended on it," she admitted. "I prefer the staff or a dagger, given a choice." She stood and tested the staff in her hands. 

"Is the weight off because of the medallion?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I forced myself to remember it was there and now I automatically account for it," she said. "It's not that heavy anyway. It's platinum and the stone's the heaviest part." 

"May I see?" She handed it to him and he looked over the amulet with interest. There was a silver/black stone surrounded by an intricately carved snake. The snake's eyes were tiny sapphires, cut to a point so they twinkled in every light. 

"Did you make this?" She nodded.

"The stone was my husband's. I didn't have a figure head for my staff, so I just did that." There was a loud clap of thunder and a wind blew in through the front door, which hadn't been latched. "Gods!" She ran to close it, only to stop when a shadow blocked the way. "Oh no... you stay away from here!"

"Miss Ryu?" asked a cold voice. "It is nice to see you again." The candles puffed out, plunging the room into darkness. "Give me what I want or I will harm the child."

"You wouldn't *dare*." Dart listened intently, hearing Kokoro nearby, on his left, the stranger still by the door, and an odd sound behind him. "Dart, look out!" Something lunged and Dart turned quickly, unsheathing his sword. The blade cut easily through the shadow and it died with a pained cry. "That's it! I've had enough of this!" There was a glow of light from the top of her staff, illuminating the room. The stranger was near the kiln now, wrapped in shadow so the light simply disappeared before it hit him. The creature that had attacked Dart lay at his feet, dark green blood seeping around it. 

*A kiwi,* he thought. *Here?*

"You touch Sayia and I'll kill you," said Kokoro with conviction. "And I'm not giving it up. You want, you prey it from my cold, dead fingers."

"That can be arranged..." It lunged, moving liquidly toward her. Dart moved too, bringing his sword forward to slice it in half. The blade caught on air and snapped with a loud crack, echoed in the thunder. Kokoro grimaced and swung her staff around her, catching the creature in the side. It hit a wall and crumbled.

"Come on!" she said quickly. "Into the back." He followed her, still astonished about his weapon. "Take this," she told him, pulling a sword from the shelf. "It's made with the same metal as my staff. It's the only thing that can effect that creature."

"What *is* that thing?" he asked. 

"A Shadow, something that can't be fought except with platinum. I don't know *why*, but that's the way it works." Her eyes were full of light, worried and excited at the same time. This wasn't the first time she had fought with the Shadow. "Your sword is platinum too. Just don't try to cut it like you did, unless you're surprising it." He nodded.

"What is it after?" She held the staff out in front of her. The stone was glowing through its snake surrounding, almost as if trying to break through. 

"This is. It's a stone I found when I was journeying and meant to give it to Sayia, until I found out it was a Magic implement." The curtain rustled and the room darkened. "It's awake."

"I guessed." They stood back to back, alert to their surroundings. She could hear the wind from the storm and Dart's breathing behind her. But her only sense that told her where the Shadow was was the feeling that ran from her staff into her body. 

"I will not leave without that stone," hissed the air around them. "Or without your blood."

"Then you won't leave at all," she sneered. "Dart, in the corner!" She leapt, bringing her staff down. There was a satisfying thunk and the shadow collapsed. Dart drove his blade into its back without thinking or having to be told. Some part of him knew exactly what to do. They pulled back at the same time and looked at each other. A small grin spread between them. "Not bad, Dart, not bad."

"Not many merchants fight like that," he said. "Not so bad yourself." She nodded.

"Thank you." She leaned her staff against a wall and started to gather up other things around the room. "Take the other weapons," she said. "And give them to your friends. The woman, Rose, is a swordsman too, correct?" He nodded. "Good. And there's a glaive and arrows for Miranda. I hadn't thought to give them to her."

"Kokoro, why are you doing this?" She stopped and turned to face him.

"I've been hiding from that thing for over three months. If it knows where I am, it can sure as heck find Sayia. I have to go get her and find someplace else to put her until I figure out what to do. I'm giving you the weapons because I don't want to leave them here in the shop once I leave. And your group seems to have a knack for being able to handle them."

"But where will you go?"

"Bale." She wrapped the staff in a dark cloth and strapped it to her back. 

"And after that?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know." A cloak and a bag of clothes and such over her shoulder. "But it won't be back here. I'll have to send a pigeon Keaon that he can have what it's in my shop." She pulled her long hair into a horsetail behind her neck and sighed. "I hate to leave here..."

"Kokoro, I wish you would explain what is going on." Kokoro faced him and shook her head.

"You wouldn't understand. I'm sorry if I seem rude to you, but I don't have time."

"Don't you think you should at least wait until morning and rest? Not to mention it's storming outside." She shook her head.

"I can't, Dart, I'm sorry." She picked up a belt and fastened around her waist. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Dart, and thank you for your help." She disappeared out of the curtain, then into the storm. He stood there for a moment before grabbing the sheath and taking off after her. 

*******

Meru woke slowly, wrapped in a warm blanket and the even warmer sun around her. She smiled and sighed happily.

*I could stay here all day,* she thought. *Maybe I will. If *they* will let me.* A few moments later, the door to her room opened and Rose came in.

"Get up," she said. "We're leaving."

"No," said Meru sleepily. "*You're* leaving. *I'm* sleeping. And why are you waking me up? Where's Dart? At least he's nice about it." She sat up and let her hair fall unceremoniously in her face. 

"Dart isn't here," said Rose, her voice and face dead pan, as usual. "He never came last night."

"So what? Maybe he got stuck in the storm at stayed at Kokoro's."

"The shop is empty and there was some sort of battle there last night," said Albert, coming in behind Rose. "Good morning, Meru."

"Morning, Al," said Meru, stretching. "Fine, I'm up, but there had better be food for this." She kicked the blanket off the bed and stood. After taking one last longing look at the bed, she raked her fingers through her hair and sighed. *Why am I even doing this? It's not like Dart can't take of himself. He did fine before any of us came along, obviously, since he's here. Or was, at least.* She was honestly too tired to care. *Soa, just let me go back to sleep.*

"Get your things," said Miranda, now the fourth person in the room. "One of the merchants just received a note from Kokoro saying he could have anything in her shop except the weapons in the back. Those are ours, payment for allowing Dart to travel with her."

"Does that make any sense to anyone?" asked Meru. "I mean, come on, Dart just wouldn't abandon us to chase after some chick... would he?"

"Just because he's a warrior doesn't mean he's any less of a man," said Miranda. Albert coughed. "And you're no better, making moon calf faces at Princess Emily. We all saw you." He blushed and Meru snickered. 

"Still," said Rose. "He wouldn't abandon our mission. We need to find Shana and Zeig and he knows that."

"Rose has a point," said Albert. "I think we need to find him. But I want to see these weapons that Kokoro is giving us first."

"I know where they are!" said Meru. "They're in the back room at her shop!" No one said anything to that, just let her go on. Being sarcastic with Meru usually had strange results.

********

"I don't see what makes you think I'm gonna let you go with me all the way to Bale," said Kokoro, slicing the skin of the rabbit from its body. She handed him a chunk of the meat to Dart, who smiled.

"The fact that you haven't tried anything yet," he said. "And all you do is talk." She chuckled.

"You're tempting me to do more then talk," she said. "But as soon as we reach Bale, you have to turn back. You're obviously going some where with your friends and I don't want to be the one that stops you from succeeding." He sighed and watched the meat cook on the flame. 

"The way it's going, I don't know if succeeding is even possible," he said. "It's just all... fallen in on itself in the last few weeks."

"That's the way I thought when my husband skipped town," she said. "I had Sayia to watch and then... those guys started showing up and..." She sighed. "I know how you feel."

"So we're both secretly depressed." They laughed and she shook her head.

"Yeah, we are," she agreed. "But, at least, we're the only ones that know it."

"Exactly." He pulled the meat off the fire and tore off a strip for her. "Here."

"Thanks." She took it with her fingers and wasted no time with eating it properly. "So," she said, wiping grease off her chin with her hand. "Where exactly are you from?"

"Nowhere really." She raised an eyebrow at that.

"Everyone's from somewhere," she said. "Even a traveler like you."

"Seles then," he said. "You?"

"Denigrad," she said. "And I don't ever want to go back." 

"Were you there when the dragon attacked?" The question was casual, but she stiffened visibly. 

"Yeah," she said nonchalantly. "I thought it was a foolish thing for the dragon to do. All it did was make the people mad at it." She chewed thoughtfully on her meat. "But the Dragoons defeated it and it's gone now."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's gone." Something swooped down from the dark sky and plucked the meat from Kokoro's hand.

"What the-?!" The bird landed at the edge of the clearing, on a log, and started to tear at the chunk. "No, wait," she said softly as Dart started to stand. "It's alright." She wiped her hands on her skirt and whistled lightly. The bird lifted its head, a piece of rabbit still in its beak. "Keri... Keriaira..." The bird flapped its wings and screeched. "That's it, my friend. You remember me. Kokoro... Remember..." She stood slowly and crept across the distance of the clearing, her feet barely making sound on the dirt. "Keri bird, come here, you silly thing." It finished its meat and hopped onto the ground, waddling over to her. She lifted it up, ignoring the pain of its talons in her arm. "Dart, meet Keri. She's an old friend. She doesn't-" She was cut off as it lit from her wrist to Dart's shoulder. "Usually take to people. Wow, you are certainly something."

"Keri and I know each other, don't we, girl?" he said, stroking her feathers. "She used to belong to a friend of mine, when I lived in Neet, before the Black Monster attack." He glanced up at her and saw her staring at him in shock.

"D-Dart?" she asked in a whisper. "F-from Neet?" Her eyes glittered and she whistled again. "Keri, come. We have to leave." Keri went back to her shoulder and she scooped up her staff. "Go back to your friends, Dart, before you get hurt and we both regret you ever joining with me." She vanished into the shadows of the trees, leaving absolutely no trace to follow. He kicked dirt over the fire quickly, not really caring about the meat still on it. It hadn't taken much to catch two nice rabbits and he still had one anyway, so it would be alright. 

"Kokoro, wait!" he said, chasing after her. He had to know why she had reacted like that! What had he said?! "Kokoro!"

"Why must you be so persistent?!" She turned and faced him angrily. Small flecks of sparkle whipped around her, disappearing in the air. Tears? "Just leave me alone!"

"What did I do?!" 

"You wouldn't understand if I tried," she said. "It's too hard to explain everything."

"Koro." He caught her arm and turned her around. "Friends first, duty second." Her grey eyes widened in shock.

"You knew?!" she yelled. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because people change, Koro. Neither of us are out going children anymore." She nodded.

"But you could've said something... something at least..." She trailed off uncertainly. "Dart... I don't want you to go to Bale with me. This isn't something I want to risk your life over something I can't control." He laughed softly.

"You haven't changed much," he said. "You hated having to let fate take influence over your life."

"Yeah, well, I had reason," she said softly. "I still do." He nodded. "Dart, please, don't follow me. I cannot ask you to..."

"Then don't ask," he told her softly. "You are my best friend, always and forever, and I don't really have a choice anyway. I have to protect you. Your father-"

"Don't bring him into this!" Her voice reached a new point. "My father has ~nothing~ to do with this!" He carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her to his chest. She body shook with unshed tears. "I hate him... I hate him so much..."

"Let's go to Bale," he said softly. "And find your Sayia. Then we can work out everything from the past." She nodded. 

"Let's..."

A/N: This is my first LOD fic, so be gentle on my mistakes, please? Let's see... there's gonna be some connectional stuff in the future, so watch out. Maybe you can catch it before I put it out in the open!;)


	2. Brother and Sister

Thanks you to everyone who reviewed! You ppl rock!!

Curie: stop sucking up and write

Bite me you bitch. Everyone, meet my muse. Ignore her

Curie: ~sticks out tongue~ 

Anyway, here's the disclaimer-

Curie: Everyone put on your winter coats because hell hath frozen over.

You know, I really think you should just go take a long walk off a short pier

Curie: Screw you

ANYWAY! I don't own LoD or Dart or anyone else of those ppl. If I did own them, I could get then past that damnable fourth disk.

Curie: ~snickers~ Loser

Shut up. Okay, that done, here's the fic. Ja Ne!

Oh yeah! The usual stuff.

'~*~' thoughts.

'"*"' speaking (duh)

'*_*' italics

One Last Look

Part Two

Brother and Sister

Kokoro all but ran into Bale, with Dart trailing behind her. Excitement filled her to the brim and she was grinning from ear to ear.

~After so long, I can see Sayia again!~ she thought happily. "Dart, Come on!!!"

"Calm down, Koro," he said. "You're going to scare people-" He was cut off by a yell in the crowd.

"Dart!!" Meru came running, full force, out of a group of people and slammed into him, throwing her arms around his neck. "They were all so mean to me without you around!" she said. 

"We were ~not~," said Miranda defensively. "Everything that happened to you was your own fault." Kokoro did her best not to laugh and ended up only smiling more. 

"I'm sorry for taking Dart away from you," she said. "But he followed me when I left town and wouldn't turn around, no matter what I did."

"Koro, don't lie," said Dart. "You know very well you wouldn't have turned me away if you could."

"Ha!" she barked. "I ~can~ and would have, but you were a better hunter then me."

"I bet." They grinned at each other as the rest of the group came upon them. "Hello everyone-"

"MOMMA!!" 

"Sayia, for the love of Soa, slow down!" A child with blonde curls to her shoulders and eyes like sapphires burst forth from the crowd and ran directly to Kokoro. The former jeweler dropped her staff on the ground next to her, startling Keri -who had decided the end was a nice perch- and fell to her knees.

"Momma!" Sayia threw her arms around her neck and buried her face in the older woman's chest. 

"Oh, my Sayia," whispered Kokoro. "I told you'd I'd come, didn't I?" The only reply was a muffled 'Uh-huh'. "Jarian, I hope she hasn't been much trouble." The black haired woman who had been hot on Sayia's tail smiled warmly.

"Gods, no, Koro. Even she if ~is~ your daughter, I raised you myself and know all of the tricks of your blood." Kokoro laughed and stood, picking up the child with her.

"Sayia, I want you to meet my friends," she said. "This is Dart, Meru, Miranda, Rose, and… I'm sorry. I don't know your names."

"Albert."

"Haschel."

"Kongol." She nodded.

"And Albert and Haschel." Sayia looked shyly at the new people and blinked.

"Hello," she whispered. Dart raised an eyebrow.

"Koro, when did you get a child and whose child is she? She's too quiet to be yours," he said. Kokoro made a face.

"Real mature, Dart," she said, then stuck out her tongue. "Sayia's my child with my husband who took off, alright? I sent her to Bale to be with my foster mother after the… things started coming after my stone. So there." She stuck out her tongue again and he laughed.

"You haven't changed."

"Duh."

"Oh, what's wrong with me?!" declared Jarian. "My name is Jarian and if it would suit you all, come with me to my house for a little bit. Any friends of Kokoro's are friends of mine." They nodded. "Follow me."

Chapter 2

"Momma, come see my room!" said Sayia the instant they were in the door. Kokoro nodded.

"Alright, love, I'm coming," she said. "Be right back." The others nodded.

"I will be back in awhile," said Albert. "I should go see my people at the castle and give them an update."

"Alright," said Dart. "See you later." Albert nodded and left. "Mistress Jarian-"

"Please, just call me Jarian! Mistress makes me feel old!" laughed the woman.

"Jarian, then," continued Dart. "How old is Sayia?"

"She's four and will be five at the next MidSummer," she said. "Bless her heart, poor thing. I told Koro not to fall for that demon man's tricks, but she did. Sayia's the only good thing ~ever~ to come out of that coupling." Kokoro came back downstairs, carrying Sayia on her back.

"Jari," she said. "You didn't change a thing up there! Hasn't Sayia wanted anything of her ~own~ in that room?"

"Not a thing, child," said Jarian. "She loves everything the way it is because that the way her momma liked it."

"Ah, well, I knew she had good taste." Sayia giggled. "Jarian, I can't stay this time either. And I have to take Sayia with me."

"Take a child her age on the road? I forbid it, Koro. She's so little!" 

"She's almost five, Jari. I was that old when I was on the road."

"You had no choice." Dart touched her arm.

"Koro, she's right," he said. "It's unsafe to bring her on the road, especially now. Unless you have someplace you can take her?" Kokoro blinked and hesitated, then shook her head.

"No, nowhere," she said. 

"What about the Crystal Palace?" said Miranda. "There are lots of soldiers around. She should be safe."

"No!" snapped Kokoro. "The Crystal Palace is out of the question. I refuse to go there." 

"Kokoro, listen," said Dart. "Miranda is right-"

"No, I will not go back there!" she said. "And I will not take Sayia there either. We can do just as well on our own!"

"Ryu Lariyena Kokoro, stop acting like a child!" said Dart firmly. She looked at him in surprise, then confusion. "Think about your daughter. What is the best for her?"

"I don't need this from you, Dart," she said coldly. "Any of you!" She carefully set Sayia on the ground and disappeared into the kitchen. There was a silence, then Sayia walked angrily over to Dart and kicked him in the leg. 

"You made my momma cry!" she said hotly. Jarian carefully picked her up and gave Dart a level gaze.

"I know you all mean well, but Denigrad is not where she belongs anymore. She cannot be expected to go back there willingly," she said. "To them, she is dead and that is how the Creator wills it." Sayia rested her head on Jarian's shoulder and looked around at the people in the room. These people who had made her mommy upset... Her blue crystal eyes settled on the tall blonde man who seemed to know her best. He seemed to remind her of someone... someone who hovered at the back of her mind like a dream. She closed her eyes and smiled softly.

"Daddy..."

Chapter 3

Kokoro hooked her legs over the side of the horse stall and rested her arms on her legs. 

~It's been so long since I've seen Dart... he doesn't understand what I've gone through to gain a normal life...~

~Ryu Kokoro, you haven't given him much chance,~ said the voice of reason that existed in her head. ~He wants to, but cannot fathom what could have changed you so much.~ Kokoro closed her eyes and let her head fall back. She could feel the warmth of the setting sun that streamed through the open barn door. The smell of fresh hay wrapped around her and filled her with a sense of peace. The barn... it was her place. Her place to think and to not be bothered...

*-Flashback-*

The ice was a tight palace around her. It glimmered and flicked with its own light and reflected the expression of awe on the girl's face. Her light brown hair fell about her young face in soft curls, framing blue eyes as bright as the ice.

"Amazing..." She looked around the impossibly tall maze she walked through, not even sensing she was lost. Every twist brought a new site to behold... and at the end, a huge cavern, lit with strange blue fires. The ice was impossibly solid and thick. She couldn't see anything except silver and blue.

-Kokoro...- Small bits of ice packed down into snow made a clear and steady path that she could walk on. She bent down and undid her snow shoes, somehow knowing it wasn't deep. Her hunch proved right and she was able to move with her usual regal grace over the whiteness. -Kokoro... Ryu...-

"I'm here," she whispered. "I'm right here. Where are you?" The blue flames burned out and a gray light flickered from the ice in front of her. Slowly, she walked towards it and pressed her thin fingers to the ice. How long had it been since she'd had actual food? Did it matter? "Who are you...?"

-You know me, Dragon Heart. You are a very special child.- The voice seemed to speak from somewhere inside her, a deep and warm feeling that melted the thin ice that had formed on her clothes. She hadn't been properly dressed in the first place, but the cold hadn't harried her much. She was raised in the cold. -Why have you come back?-

"Because she told me to... because she wants me to fight again..." Her voice trailed off in the icy air and a violent spasm racked her body. She fell into the snow and curled up, sobbing harshly. "Dart... Zeig, Clare! No, please... come back to me!" The memories surged back, flooding a mind that had assumed the pain was gone. Ten years and it still burned at her heart. "Please!" The eyes... the monster's eyes, as she pointed the long sword... and called out words no six year old should have understood... but had cut into Kokoro...

*"Return, Dragoon, and let us finish what his death caused!"*

"It was my fault... they all died because of me!" she yelled out loud to no one. "My fault!"

-Heart, listen... listen to me... you are not who you think...-

"I'm a murderer!" she cried angrily, pushing herself up. "It's all my fault!"

-Kokoro... remember... death...- The voice was fading out and fear struck at the disgust and rage she held for herself.

"No, don't leave me!" she yelled. A name flickered briefly in her mind and she seized it, reveling in the feelings it brought. "Rion, come back to me!" The ice beneath her glowed and cracked. Silver light exploded between the splits and wrapped around the astonished girl, though deep inside, she knew this. She could hear the dragon's cry inside on her head and feel his pain in her chest... he had died for her... and what had she died for? "I... died," she murmured, surprised. "Rose... the Dragoon of Darkness... Zeig... he... oh, god, no. Diaz went back on his word. He killed Zeig... he wasn't supposed to kill Zeig!!" The lights condensed together and she wrapped her fingers around it. Hard stone pressed against her palm and she closed her eyes. "Zeig... I'm sorry..."

~* End the Flashback! *~

Kokoro sighed and hugged her arms to her chest. She glanced at her staff and the dark stone at the top.

~ I should go see Rion...~ she thought. ~ If he hasn't moved from the mountain.~

"Momma?" Sayia stood in the doorway, the setting sun lighting her blonde hair to a soft pink. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Kokoro, getting down. Sayia wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and buried her face in her stomach. Kokoro smiled gently and ran her fingers through her precious daughter's hair. ~ My dearest child... Zeig thought I was ignorant to my past. That I didn't know who he was... but after 11,000 years, it was I could have dreamed of.~ 

"Dart may not know, but I do, Ryu Kokoro." Kokoro's head snapped up and she locked eyes with Rose. "You died that day, with Zeig. *That* I made sure of."

"Sayia, go help Jarian," said Kokoro coolly. "Rose and I need to talk." Sayia did as she was told, giving Rose a malicious glare as she passed.

"Charming," muttered Rose. "She's your daughter."

"She's Zeig's as well," said Kokoro calmly. "And the child of fate."

"Just as you were." The distance between them was a mass of tense air, though both were as calm as ice. "You cannot be forgiven for betraying us."

"I do not ask forgiveness," shrugged Kokoro. "But Diaz is returning, is he not? I sensed it in Zeig... Rose, let us end out feud. Zeig never cared for me, but I was too young and stupid to see that." Rose carefully drew her sword and let it rest at her side.

"You guard your heart and you deny your power," she said. "You cannot transform if your Spirit is locked away in a twist of metal."

"He knows I can fight and that I will," replied Kokoro. "Whether we fight together or not, I must make up for the mistakes of the past." There was a silence. Then Rose raised her hand slowly.

"11,000 years ago, I made a pact with a friend," she said. "My only family... my sister..."

"She broke it," said Kokoro. "I remember. I remember fighting to stop her." She stepped forward and took the offered hand. "But I do not break pacts. On my honor and my Spirit, we will fight as a team again."

"Hey, Kokoro, Rose, are you in here?" Dart came across the doorway and both women pulled apart. "There you both are. Come on. Supper's ready."

"Fifteen years and you still think with your stomach, Dart," laughed Kokoro. She swung a friendly arm around his neck and he hoisted her up on his back with an easy twist of his arm. "Oh, I'm impressed," she mocked. "I can still beat you up."

"You can *try*," he shot back. "Come on, Rose. Let's go eat." Rose nodded and watched them walk back to the house, laughing. 

~ She won't go after Dart, ~ she thought. ~ Because that would betray Shana. And she would not betray someone so close to her...~

Chapter 4

"I really don't see why," said Dart. "I mean, the whole reason we came here was to get Sayia."

"I know," said Kokoro, walking along the roof's edge, her soft boots never missing a step. "But taking her with me would be a bad idea."

"Us," corrected Dart. "It's not just you."

"I know, I know." She turned gracefully on her toe and started in the other direction. "It's much more safe here then I originally thought anyway. Albert said Jarian and Sayia could move into the palace and be watched."

"That works well," he agreed. "And where are you going to go?"

"The mountains north of Denigrad," she said. "To see a friend."

"Who lives there?" he asked. "I've been there and it's way too cold to support any kind of life beside monsters."

"You'd be surprised." She stopped on a corner and looked over the city. "It's beautiful, isn't it? So peaceful and quiet." He stood up and joined her, draping his arm around her shoulders. 

"A friend of mine showed me a view like this once," he said softly. "He used to live in this city too." She leaned against him and rested her head on his arm.

"Maybe I knew him," she said. "Where did he go?"

"He died... protecting Albert..." She nodded slightly and sighed.

"'Life is important to those who have good hearts'," she murmured. "That's what Sir 

Lavitz always said."

"Lavitz? You knew him?" Another nod.

"He taught me how to fight. When I first came here, no one even acknowledged me. But Lavitz... he was like you, when we lived in Neet. He didn't care who I was or where I came from..."

"Koro... I'm sorry," he said softly. "Lavitz..."

"I know," she murmured. "I've always known, I guess. His mother... she just changed one day and I knew it was because Lavitz was gone." 

"I was right there, Koro. I should have done something... I should have helped..." She looked up at him and gave a weak smile that never seemed to reach her eyes.

"Don't blame yourself. Lavitz was strong willed and bull headed almost as much as you are. At least he died honorably and not in that damned Hellena prison." He nodded and smiled back. Silence wrapped itself around them and he carefully reached, touching her cheek gently. She had come a long way from the scrawny, energetic six year old who had gotten him into trouble so many times when he was younger. She was beautiful and a new mystery. A new challenge for him to overcome. He needed to know what made her so sad now, when everything used to make her smile. Very slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with care, not wanting to scare her. She kissed him back with as much wariness and instantly sensed that even though he had instigated it, his mind was elsewhere and someone else was in his arms. ~ Someone else... but that's okay. ~ She pulled back and looked at him, shaking her head. "Dart, we can't do this. This isn't us." He hesitated, then nodded in agreement. 

"I'm sorry, Koro-" She cut him off with a wave of her hand. 

"Don't say anything about it. You're my best friend and like a brother to me, but it's been too long. Maybe if we hadn't lost each other... but we did and we cannot fight destiny." He nodded and smiled, pulling her into a tight hug. "Ah! Geez, ya moose! You're gonna kill me!" He laughed and let her go, only to have her slug him playfully in the arm. 

"Ah, you still hit like a girl!" he teased. 

"And you're still about as uncreative as they come!" she shot back. "Come on, Dart. You can do better then that!" Albert stood in the window and silently watched them trade insults. He had known about Kokoro when he was younger - She had been Lavitz's shadow and his pupil, even though he wasn't much older then she was. Always around the palace, in the corners or against the wall. It was hard to believe she was as open now as she was. Maybe it was true and people could change.

"Spoiled!"

"Hag!" Albert turned around and shook his head as he got down to the floor. "You're just a smelly old Hag!" yelled Sayia again. He didn't need to be there to know Meru's face was bright red.

"I'm not a hag! At least I'm not a baby like some people!"

"I'm not a baby!" Meru gave a yelp of pain. That turned Kokoro's head and she sighed.

"If it's not one thing, it's another," she muttered. "Come on, Dart. I have a feeling we'll both be needed here." They started in through the window and Kokoro paused to look back at the sky. ~ I always knew you were dead, Lavitz, I just never wanted to believe it...~

Chapter 5

"Momma!" Kokoro bolted up instantly and looked around the room. She grabbed her staff as Sayia cried out again. "Momma!!"

"Koro, I know you can hear the girl crying!" said another voice. "Come out or I'll hurt her!"

"Damn it," she whispered. Dart met her in the hallway, with a look or well contained anger.

"Koro, stay here," he said. "I can take care of it." She shook her head.

"Dart, you don't know who that is-"

"Koro, I do," he said. "And he's a very-"

"Dangerous person, I know. But I can't ask you to risk yourself-"

"I have to, Koro. He can't be allowed to go on like he is-"

"I agree," said Rose. "And if you're both done, can we go?" Kokoro nodded and followed the dark haired warrior down the stairs while Dart, still confused, was right behind her. Meru, Haschel and Kongol met them on the street. Albert had returned to the castle, Miranda with him. "Zeig," said Rose coldly. "Let the child go." Sayia struggled against the grip of her biological father, tears staining the angelic face.

"Momma! He's hurting me!"

"Just hold on, darling," said Kokoro softly. "I'm right here."

"Father, let her go," said Dart firmly, drawing his sword. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You are too sentimental, Dart," said the older blonde man. "But it is to be assumed that you would be protective of the girl. She *is* your sister." 

"Sister?" Dart looked back at Kokoro, who was to her breaking point.

"Dart, it's a long and complicated story," she said through gritted teeth. "Which I will tell you later. Zeig, let my daughter go!"

"*Our* daughter, Ryu Kokoro," smirked Zeig. Kokoro growled, but Rose touched her arm.

"Don't," she said. "We'll go together." Kokoro nodded, anger evident in her grey eyes. 

There was no signal. They both knew when to attack and where to go at. Kokoro, being smaller, was more agile and reached Zeig first. His free hand moved to attack her and Rose swooped in, grabbing the child. A flash of light erupted between the girl's mother and her father and Kokoro fell back, clutching her ribs.

"Koro!" yelled Dart. She smiled weakly at him, then collapsed. 

"Momma!" yelled Sayia harshly. "Momma!!" Rose held tight to the squirming child and glared at Zeig.

"You shouldn't have done that," she murmured. Her voice was firm and dark, dripping with venom. Even Zeig seemed surprised. But his confused look turned to one of malice.

"Do I anger you by attacking the one that betrayed me?" he asked. "Betrayed the both of us? She deserves what she gets." Rose gave a little laugh and gently handed Sayia to Jarian, who had emerged not long before Kokoro had been hit.

"Fools do in love what idiots do daily."

*~*

Kokoro could feel a dull ache across her body, echoing from her top to her bottom. Sayia... had to be safe. That was all the mattered. Jarian could take of her if she died... all of her life was her daughter now. Nothing else to live for. Nothing...

~ I can't give in so easily...~ The thought resounded around her quickly dulling mind. ~ He'd love to see that. Just like he loved the day... Rose and I fought... he loved to break us apart. But she's my best friend... and the only family I have left...~ The darkness dissipated and she slowly pushed herself up. The stone wrapped in a snake's hold glittered in the early light of the dawn. ~ I have to... beat him. I have to show him that it's over now...~ She stood up and almost fell back to her knees, but determination drove her to lock her knees and lean precariously on her staff. There were... Dragoons. Ice... Thunder, Earth. Rose... Zeig in the Red Dragoon armor against Zeig on the ground. No... it was Dart. Dart was a Dragoon. ~ I should have guessed, ~ she thought with a small smile. ~ He's so much like him. ~ Zeig deflected and attacked everyone of them. He attacked Dart with more ruthlessness then he did anyone else. ~ A child is a precious thing, ~ she thought angrily. ~ Something you should always treasure. ~ "Zeig! Stop!" The voice was hers, from her mouth, but she had never told herself to speak. Now the Dragoon was taking over her again. "Stop. I cannot let you go on." She didn't see Sayia, but she knew she was safe. Her motherly instinct told her so. That gave her room to fight, to be the soldier that Lavitz had trained and the warrior fate hated. 

"Koro!" said Dart. "Stay back!"

"Not this time, Dart," she answered. "I stayed back while they died. While everyone was killed in Neet. While my own people cried out for release. I cannot anymore." She glared at Zeig again and raised the staff above her head. "I've had enough of sitting on the sidelines!" The snake shattered the instant it hit the ground. Light exploded at the contact, filling the entire city with a strange glow. It suddenly pulled back and wrapped around the girl who had released it, drenching her in grey and silver. Dart could only stare. Kokoro... she... a Dragoon?

"The Dragoon of Dreams has finally awoken," said Rose. "Are you happy now, Zeig?" 


	3. Secret of the Owl Hawk

Heiya again, everyone!

Curie: You know that's not a real word, right?

You know muses should be seen or not heard?

Curie: If you can't hear me, you can't write.

If I can't write, you don't get paid.

Curie: You don't pay me.

... That's irrelevant! I'm here to write! And these lovely ppl did not come here to see me fight with you. 

Curie: Suck up

Bitch!

I discovered my puter can do HTML!!! ~happy dance~ So, here's my lovely story, totally readable. 

italics - thoughts, words stress

Secret of the Owl Hawk

Chapter 1 - Return of Keri-bird

Kokoro stroked her fingers through Sayia's hair and watched her sleep.

_My whole life had only one meaning,_ she thought. _And that was her. Now... I have to save the world..._ She looked up at Dart, who looked away. He hadn't said anything to her and she didn't want him too. This wasn't something easily discussed. "Dart... I..."

"You lied to me," he said softly. "There's nothing to talk about." She bit her lip and swallowed tears, then nodded.

"Fine." There was a screech and Keriaira dove through the window. She landed easily on the end of the bed. "Keri-bird, where have you been?" Images flashed in her mind, places seen only from the sky, land and ocean. "Martyl..." she murmured. "You went and saw Martyl. How is her child?" The image of a sickly child came and went, but the background grabbed Kokoro's attention. A tall needle like tower protruded from the water, ominous and dark. "That... that place..."

"Koro?" asked Dart. Her eyes narrowed at nothing and she growled.

"I know where he'll go from there," she said. "That's where we need to be." She laid Sayia down and stood up, grabbing her broken staff from the wall. "Come on. Time to go."

"Koro, what-?" He was cut off as she breezed past him and out the door. His blue eyes narrowed at her retreating form. _You lie and you ignore me,_ he thought. _What happened to the Koro I knew?_ He glanced back at Sayia and shook his head sadly. _People change and lives go on..._

"The Signet Spheres." Rose looked up at Kokoro, who paused halfway down the stairs, and nodded.

"That's where he's going next. He has the first one," said the Darkness Dragoon lightly.

"Zenebatos, then? The Law City." Both women nodded simultaneously.

"What about Mayfil?" asked Miranda, breaking into the conversation. "He could go there as well."

"No," said Kokoro. "See, when the Signet Spheres were placed, it was done so that one couldn't be found without finding another first." She stopped and chewed on her lip. "But Zeig knows all the locations."

"We need to split up," said Dart from the top of the staircase. "Some go to Mayfil and some to Zenebatos."

"But how do we split the teams?" asked Meru. "Just see who wants to go where?"

"I'll go to Mayfil," said Kokoro. "Albert, you, Miranda, Haschel, and Meru come with me. You'll be the strongest if anything should attack us there."

"The others come with me to Zenebatos," said Rose. "Koro."

"Hmm?"

"What do you plan to do if Zeig should attack?"

"Fight him," said the woman firmly. "It's the only option."

"What about Sayia?" asked Jarian, coming in from the kitchen. "I know I shouldn't intrude, but she's gonna worry if you leave again, Koro."

"Jari, I don't have a choice," said Kokoro. "I'll come back, I promise."

"That's what you _always_ say, Koro," murmured Jarian. "But this time, I do not know how far I can believe you." Kokoro opened her mouth to say something, then thought better of it and looked away.

"I must do this, Jari. I have no choice."

~*~

Kokoro tightened the saddle strap around the bag and checked the other bindings as well. Something nagged at the back of her mind, but it could have been any number of things. The fact that she was leaving in the cover of darkness so Sayia wouldn't know she was gone or that she was heading down the same path to Hell she had followed in the past. Any number of things...

Keri swooped down and landed on the wrapped edge of Kokoro's staff, protruding from the saddle.

"What?" asked the human girl. An image of Rose and Dart, mounted on their horses, flashed across her vision and she growled. "Let them go," she said. "They have their mission." Keri screeched and Kokoro rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not being stubborn. I have no reason to see them leave. Dart hates me and Rose knows very well where I am. If she wanted me to say good bye, she'd come to see me herself." Kokoro swung herself into the saddle, upsetting Keri's perch. The bird resettled on her shoulder and made an unpleased sound. "Hush. You're not hurt." She kneed the beast forward and rode quietly towards the front of the house. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard the sound of retreating hooves. _Be careful,_ She thought. _Please. Be careful._

"Are you ready, Koro?" asked Haschel. She gathered the reins in one hand and nodded, shifting in the saddle.

"Jari, watch Sayia," she said. "We'll return as soon as we can."

"Be well, Ryu Kokoro," said Jarian. "Don't do anything stupid. Any of you."

"We won't," said Albert. "There will be people here at first light to help you move, Lady Jarian, if you still wish to move into the castle."

"Thank you, your highness." 

"Let's go," said Kokoro. "We'll make it in good time if we catch a boat to Fueno before the end of the day." The others nodded. _Soa, let this be worth it..._

Chapter 2

"What do you _mean_ full? There's no one around!" said Miranda fiercely. Her eyes flashed angrily. "How can you be _full?_"

"We are, ma'am," said the captain, a tall gangly man with a crop of salt and pepper hair to match his beard. "I'm sorry."

"Please," Kokoro all but pleaded with a look at Miranda. "I'll pay any price. We must get to Fueno."

"Any price?" repeated the man with a hungry look, his eyes trailing over Kokoro. Inwardly, she sighed. How could he _even_ think like that? She didn't look the least bit presentable, in her dirt covered tunic and pants and streaks of what she could only hope was dirt on her face. After a particularly nasty fall from her horse into some reeds along a creek earlier that day, she looked, and smelled, like a gutter child.  
"_What_ did you just say?" inquired Miranda between gritted teeth. Kokoro raised a hand. The woman had become increasingly protective since discovering who Kokoro really was. 

"Look, _friend_," said Kokoro, forcing herself to be calm. "We need a boat and we need it immediatly. If you can't provide us one, then direct us toward someone who can." The captain rolled his eyes and motioned down the pier.

"A man called Carlais, he'll give you ride enough to Fueno," he said, then turned away as if they'd never been there. Kokoro nodded and turned to conference with the rest of the group.

"If this man Carlais can't give us ride, then we're basically up the creek without a paddle," she said grimly. 

"Let us hope he can," said Albert somberly. Kokoro gripped the reins of her horse and gently guided it around and towards the direction the man had pointed them in. A few empty pier slots down and they came across a fit and trim little thing with the words "Sunset Dream" painted along the bow in deep black letters. "Is this it?" wondered Albert, looking at the others, who all shrugged. "Hello!"

"Hullo!" called a voice from inside. A moment later, a tall man stepped out, his black hair tied back in a smart horse-tail, but his eyes were full of humor. "What can I do for ye, ladies and gents?"

"We need passage," said Kokoro. "To Fueno."

"Fueno? I be, milady. I was just heading there. But ye will have to leave the beast behind. I cannot fit all of ye on my boat." Kokoro nodded, but gently stroked the nose of her mare.   
"We'll have to find a place to stable them for a bit then," she said. "How long can you wait?"

"Ay, my business tisn't urgent... but two days."

"Two days is fine. Thank you."

"Tisn't a problem, milady." He bowed deeply and tipped his hat. "Shall be a fine fair trip with three beauties aboard. And it twon't be boring, if you gents know a good dice game or two."

"We might, sir," said Albert with a smile. "In two days, Lord Carlais?"

"Ay, never twas there a seafarer who be lord of anything but his ship and sail. Call me Carlais, simply so. Twas the name my mam gave me and strike with down if I don't love my mam with me very soul. Two days, good company. And maybe more if ye give me fair warning."

"Two days, sir," said Kokoro with a small smile. "No more, I promise you." He gave her a secretive, knowing smile.

"And the promise of one such as you is as good as all the gold in the land, milady," he told her softly. She gave a small start and narrowed her eyes, but his grin only grew. "Ye had best be off if ye want to find a place for yer horses. See ye in two days." She clambered back over the side of his boat and disappeared inside. Kokoro felt a strange lump in her stomach, but Meru pulling on her cloak drew her attention elsewhere.

"Koro, _where _are we gonna stable five horses and with what money?" she asked. Kokoro pushed a strand of hair out of her face and smiled.

"Money isn't a problem, Meru," she replied. "But the placing is. I have no idea were to find a bloody stable anywhere."

"I'm up for riding in the countryside," said Albert. "We may find a place out there, or at least someone who can direct us to one."

"Not too far out, though," said Haschel thoughtfully. "Most likely, we'll be walking back." 

"Agreed," nodded Kokoro. "Alright, come on. If we find a place soon enough, we can be back in the village for dinner and a good night's rest."

__

I know... short. But I feel I need to post this and start on the next part while my muses are still alive and well... :) Remember... please review. It makes for a happy authoress... and an unhappy authoress kills of characters...


	4. SunFire

Heiya people... here's the next part... it's the, uh, 25 of November and I'm predicting to have it done in about a year... it was my birthday this weekend (I'm 16!!) and the muses are as exhausted as I am. But I went shopping with Chibi-chan earlier and she let me have Coke (Baaaaddd idea, Chibi) and they're bouncing around, begging to write something that has a plot line... why they picked this one, then, I have no idea. Okay. So here this goes. Shallest I summarize for all of you? Simply because I'm bored...  
  
What's happened so far: Dart found his long lost best buddy, Ryu Kokoro, who has something to do with the Royal family of Denigrad (I'm getting to that). After some initial random skirmishes, you, my darling readers, found out that she was married to Zeig and had his daughter, the ever adorable Sayia, who really doesn't get it because she's... oh, five-ish, I think? Kokoro is also the reborn Dragoon of Dreams and was the one who betrayed Zeig to... the evil guy, whose name evades me. She also knows Rose as a close friend and really pissed off the Dragoon of Darkness by betraying Zeig, but Rose has had a few thousand years to work over her anger (thankfully) and has forgiven Kokoro and even made a pact that they'll stick it through this time (I think that was the pact...). Zeig attacked Kokoro and the others whilst they were hanging out in Seles with Kokoro's foster mom, and tried to kidnap Sayia. Bad idea. He ticked off Kokoro, amongst everyone else, and awoke the Dragoon of Dreams and caused a great big ruckus. Now Dart's mad at Kokoro for not telling him who she was (He's a guy, people, and it's in their genes to get 

mad at a lot of the little things), but he doesn't exactly have a lot of time to talk things out (That'll happen though, believe me) because now the whole group has split up to stop Zeig from getting the Signet Spheres at Zenebatos and Mayfil. Now, just a note, being at this _is_ a story mainly about Kokoro, I'm not planning on writing what happens to Dart and his group. Sorry, but I don't think I can. But let it be assumed that normal game-reality stuff happened and they failed and Zeig got the sphere, which really sucked by the way. Okay, here we go.

Curie: And would all believe she thought that up on her own?

Would you believe she's still here?

Curie: Of course I am. That's why they're here, all these readers... because they love me. So, are you going to defy the laws of nature again and post a disclaimer?  
  
... um, I should do that, Huh? Okay, here it is: I don't own anything that was in the LoD game, including characters places and so forth, but Kokoro is mine and so is all that is attached to her, like Sayia and the Dragoon of Dreams and stuff.

Curie: Articulate, aren't we?

I have two other muses, you know. I don't NEED you.

Curie: Yes, you do... admit it.  
  
... I hate you.  
  
Pasts Returning, part One  
  
_Kokoro... Kokoro... I need you... _Kokoro rolled over in her sleep and promptly fell onto the floor, more or less directly on top of Albert. The blonde prince gave an audible curse that she cut off by clapping her hand over her mouth.

"Shhh," she whispered. "Sorry."

"Ow, Koro," he said as she sat up on the floor next to him. "That was my _side_."

"I said sorry, Albert, let it go." She grinned and brushed her hair from her face. "So... have a nice sleep?" He nodded.

"I slept like a rock." He sat up slowly, so as not to jostle Meru who was spread out across the section of floor she had basically called the night before. Miranda was sound asleep in the bed that Kokoro had fallen from and Haschel was by the door, playing sentry, though Kokoro doubted they really needed it. It had been late enough by the time they had made it back to the city from the stables the night before and everyone had been too tired to get anything to eat, not that anyplace had been open. "Are you up for breakfast?"

"I'm _starving_," she told him with a grin. "And yes, I'll join you. Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Wait, Koro," he insisted. "Let me get dressed-"

"Don't be such a _prince_, Al," she told him in a whisper. "We're travelers. No one knows who we _actually _are. Let's just go like this, in the same clothes from yesterday." 

"Koro, I really-"

"Albert, one more word out of you and I'll make sure you end up walking around in the rest of this trip without any clean clothes at all." He gaped at her a moment, but she pulled him out of the room before he could reply. "There," she said when they were in the hallway. "No, is that so hard?" She closed the door softly and grinned at him. "Come on. Don't be such a prude. Now, let's go get some food!"

~*~~*~~*~

"you're serious? He was your "protector"?" Kokoro nodded and poked her eggs with her fork.

"Dart never said it, but I knew... my father hired him to protect me. He was always doing that... just because I'm the blasted princess." She sighed and shook her head. "But I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"You were in Neet when the Black Monster attacked." Another nod and sigh.

"Yes... it wasn't... a good thing."

"But you didn't return."

"Why should I have?!" she demanded. "There was nothing there for me. I wasn't born to be a princess... even before I found out I was the bloody Dragoon of Dreams, I knew that I wasn't cut out to be a princess. And I knew, when it was over in Neet, that if I went back, I'd go insane. I had to leave." She shrugged and took a bite. "But you're a royal too. Why didn't you stay in your kingdom?"

"I knew that this journey was my destiny," he told her. "Well, at least, I sensed it was. But I didn't know it would come this far... or that so many people would be hurt." She glanced up at the sadness in his voice, then looked back down.

"Lavitz," she murmured. Albert nodded.

"Lavitz, my Uncle, countless people who've died in every battle resulting from the Dragoons and the past... and more have to die. More _will _die." Kokoro closed her eyes and swallowed a lump in her throat.

"But we keep fighting," she said. "And we can't stop. Because the world is depending on us now... we've made it that way." Suddenly, she was no longer hungry and the food on her plate didn't look so appetizing. _All my life, I felt like I had no point... then, I learned the truth of my past and of the traitor I truly was... but I can't run from my destiny. I can't hide anymore. For Sayia, and for her future, I'll keep fighting. _

"Koro?" She shook her head clear and smiled weakly.

"Come on. Let's go get everyone else up and we'll head to the docks. The earlier we start the better."

~*~~*~~*~

"Look," yawned Meru, rolling over onto her side. "The sun's not up and neither am I." Kokoro chuckled and poked the girl in the back.

"Yes you are, or we'll leave you here," she threatened.

"Sucha a pity," muttered Meru under her breath. "Lemme sleep, Koro. It's too early." She dragged the blanket over her head and curled up the on the floor. Miranda made a scoffing sound and Kokoro looked up at her with a small smile.

"Miranda, I _know_ you remember me when I was younger and I was as bad as she is," she said. Miranda chuckled.

"Worse, Princess, worse." Kokoro laughed and yanked the blanket off of Meru.

"Up, my Winglie friend. We have a journey ahead of us and we need to start _today._" She rose and tossed the blanket on the bed. Meru groaned and pushed herself up on her hands with a dirty look towards her companion.

"That was really mean," she said. "Do you realize that you're really domineering?"

"Yes, I do," answered Kokoro. "Come on Meru. Please? Everyone _else_ is up and around. We're waiting on you." Meru opened her mouth to say something then stopped.

"Did I miss breakfast?" she asked. Kokoro nodded briskly.

"Yes, you did," she said. "But if you get up _now_, we can get you something in the market before we head down to the dock."

"Sounds good to me." Meru jumped up and smiled at the two women. "Let's get this started!"

Chapter 2 - Sun, Sea, and Dragon Wings.

"Good Morning, companions!" said Carlais cheerfully, waving to them as they approached. "Did ya sleep well?"

"That we did, my friend," said Kokoro with a smile. "And we're all rested for the journey ahead."

"Most of us anyway," murmured Meru. Carlais grinned.

"If ye still be tired, miss, there's a cot below deck where ye can nap," he told her. Meru's face brightened.

"Thanks!" she said happily. Carlais smiled and jumped down into his boat.

"Miladies first," he said. "Watch your step." He offered a hand to Meru, who took it with a giggle as she stepped into the boat. "Alright then? Ye be next, milady." Kokoro took his help with a gracious smile and waited next to Meru as Miranda jumped down, barely glancing at the man who helped her. "Careful, gents. She can get a bit unsteady at times." Haschel and Albert both jumped down without a problem and Carlais smiled. "Ready?"

"Hold on a second," said Kokoro. She turned back towards shore and gave a sharp whistle. Keri-bird swooped down from where she had been perched on a market stall and landed on Kokoro's outstretched arm. Carlais made a small sound and seemed shocked, but his face quickly went back to a smile. "Is it alright if Keriaira joins us, sir?"

"Of course, Milady," answered Carlais with a small bow. "Be that it, then?"

"I believe so." A glance at her companions confirmed that everyone was ready. "Yes, we are set."

"Good." Carlais smiled. "Then let the journey begin!"

~*~~*~~*~

"Fueno's just out there," said Albert, pointing towards lights on the dark horizon. "One more good day of sailing and we'll be there." Kokoro nodded and leaned on the side of the ship with a sigh. "Something wrong, Kokoro?"

"No," she said. "It just seems that something should be happening. Out here, we're open, we're vulnerable, and I'm bored enough to _scream_," she admitted. "It's the perfect time to attack us." Albert chuckled softly.

"You are in need of constant adventure, aren't you?" he asked, making her laugh.

"That I am," she said. "My entire life has been a constant adventure so far and you would think that a break like this would be nice but... it's not."

"We all know how you feel, Princess," said Miranda from where she sat at the table, involved in a card game with Carlais and Haschel, while Meru sat and watched. "But it _is_ nice to relax." Haschel nodded.

"It is," agreed Meru. "Koro?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Keri?" Kokoro straightened, then shrugged.

"Probably fishing," she answered. _Keri... Keriaira, where are you?_ Her mind flashed with the image of the dark ocean and something shadowing the moon. It swooped down and pain shot through Kokoro like fire. She gasped and dug her fingernails into the wood she leaned on.

"Koro?" asked Albert, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Something's coming," she whispered, trying to steady her nerves. "From the west. It attacked Keri." 

"From the west?" asked Miranda, standing up. Kokoro nodded and swallowed a lump in her throat. Gods, but it _hurt_. "Are you well, Princess?"

"Milady be a bird bonder," said Carlais gravely. "That hawk of hers be bonded to her, mind and heart. If something happened to it, she knows." Kokoro nodded. Bird bonders were rare and Kokoro had been one since she was a child. Always to Keri. "You're sure the west, milady?"

"Yes. The west." Carlais made a sound in his throat and leapt up from his seat.

"The west be old dragon breeding grounds. Nothing lives out there now. But if it be coming from there, it be one of those flying monsters," he said. There was a loud screech and a gull swooped low from the sky, landing lightly on the man's head. "This be my friend," he said to the people. "My bond bird, Bone. He tells me there be something coming from the east as well. Another monster."

"_Two_ dragons?" asked Miranda in surprise. "We'll never be able to take two-"

"No," said Kokoro. "Only the one from the west in the enemy. The other is a friend, from the mountains of Denigrad."

"And how do you know this?" asked Haschel. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Because it's Rion, the platinum dragon. The Dragon of Dreams."

~*~~*~~*~

Sunrise didn't come swift enough. They took turns on watch, keeping an eye out for either of the dragons, and for Keri. Bone flew away more then once and returned with no news of the owl hawk. But Kokoro would have known if she had died and the sporadic jolts of pain in her arm and shoulder were enough testament to the fact the bird lived. 

"Here, milady. Have a cup of tea." Carlais offered the steaming cup to Kokoro, who had been up all night, keeping a vigilant watch for her friend. "I be sure your bird is alright. Bond birds be tougher than the ordinary common sort and yours be one of the strongest I seen in a while." She smiled weakly and accepted the drink with a nod of thanks.

"How many more are there?" she asked. "Other bonders, like us?"

"Oh, there be six I know of. And they each know one that I do not. They're the nicest lot of people I ever met. There be a lady, bonded to a raven. Oh, she's one of the cleverest people I ever did meet. You know, Every bird reflects the person they be bonded to." Kokoro nodded with a smirk.

"Except Keri isn't impossibly stubborn and bull headed," she muttered to herself. _Oh Keri. Where are you?_

"One from the west!" came Meru's yell from the crow's nest. "It's a yellow colored dragon!"

"Yellow?" asked Miranda. "I haven't heard of a yellow dragon." Kokoro stood up and dropped the blanket she had been wrapped in.

"I have," she said gravely. "Yellow is the power of the Sun. Like the fires of the red dragons, only stronger and thrice as hot."

"But then it be weakened by so much water," said Carlais. Kokoro shook her head. 

"No," she said. "Unless it touches the water, it won't be that much weakened." Albert carefully took her elbow and led her a bit away from Carlais.

"There's five of us, Koro," he whispered. "Can we take it?" She nodded.

"But if we do, we'll be at a disadvantage. We haven't really done any aerial battles as dragoons. And aerial battles over water aren't easy." 

"But we _can_ do it?"

"Of course." Albert nodded. "I'll take that as you're going to?"

"From the east!" came Meru's yell again. "It _is_ the platinum dragon!" There were two distant roars, one from each side and Kokoro smiled.

"Rion will take it," she said. "Rion's taking the yellow dragon!" she hollered to her companions. "Carlais, we need to move as soon as possible. Rion is one of the oldest and strongest dragons in around. If we're caught underneath they're battle, we _will _die." Carlais nodded grimly and rushed below deck to stoke the engine. Kokoro clamored up the ladder to the crow's nest and looked out towards the east. A large gray colored shape was making its way from the horizon and she could feel the dragon's annoyance.

_Bloody upstart children._ She laughed happily and walked around the crow's nest.

"Kokoro, is he dangerous?" asked Meru, pointing east.

"Only if you're that one," answered the other woman, pointing west. She climbed onto the edge of the crow's nest and stood up. "Meru, stay here and make sure Carlais gets this boat moving. If he doesn't, tell everyone to transform and fly to land. Take Carlais with you, obviously. It _isn't_ safe here anymore." There was a flash of light before Meru could protest and Kokoro spread her dragoon wings wide. "I'm going to find Keri. I'll meet you where ever."

"Kokoro, wait!" Meru reached for the woman's arm, but missed as Kokoro dove off the crow's nest and glided off. "Oh, you psychopath!"

"Meru! Where is she going?!" Meru turned back towards the deck and the people below.

"After Keri!" answered Meru. "But she's flying on a crash course towards the dragon! She'll reach it before Rion does!" Miranda cursed and scaled the ladder. Kokoro was already too far away, barely visible over the ocean. The dragon was flying in the same line she was, going the opposite direction. If it ignored her, she would pass right underneath. But Miranda doubted it would ignore a dragoon. Unless... 

"Come on," Miranda said to Meru. "We'll distract that thing long enough for her to get past. Then Rion can take care of it."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Both woman climbed the edge of the nest and transformed.

"Are they stupid?" asked Albert from the deck below. "They're going after her!" Haschel shook his head.

"No," he said. "They're going to distract the dragon until Rion comes."

"They're... what?"

Kokoro skimmed along the water, keeping a wary eye on the approaching beast. She could already see the claws, glinting in the rising sunlight. And she knew it had seen her. 

"Try me." She pulled up and leveled paths with her new enemy. It roared loudly and deeply, the dragon roar of battle. Behind her, Rion answered the sound with his own. 

_Get out of the way, Ryu Kokoro._

Not on your wings, old friend. She raised her staff above her head and drew in all of her power she could.

"Dream-"

"Koro!"

"What in the-" Miranda and Meru halted beside her, both dragoon. "Get back to the boat!"

"Nah," said Meru with a grin. Kokoro frowned, making Miranda laugh.

"We can't let you have all of the fun, Princess," she said. "You go look for Keriaira. Meru and I will take care of the dragon until Rion shows up." 

"But-"

"Go," urged Meru. "Come on. You're wasting daylight. It's not like that thing can beat us anyway. We're Dragoon, after all." Kokoro looked between the both of them, then nodded.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can." She took off, heading in the same path as before. The dragon roared again, throwing its head back and flaring its wings bigger. It was actually small for a dragon, only a teenage by their terms, but against two dragoons, one of whom was weak against fire, it would still be a trial to keep it occupied. _Rion, **hurry**._

__

A/N: I'll put in the fight scene in the next part... no flames, please... I don't know why you would flame me, but don't anyway. :)


	5. Rahana

                The waves crashed against the rocks and washed over the dark stone as Ryu Kokoro landed gently on the outcropping. She was on a mission here, and what she needed to find was on these rocks. In the distance behind her, the sky was lit twice - once with a flash of white and once with a flash of blue. A sign that Kokoro's friends were still fighting against the yellow dragon.

                "Keri," she called softly. "Keriaira?" With a weak shriek, a mass of what Kokoro had thought to be just more rock shifted. The dragoon of Dreams winced as a sharp pain bit into her shoulder, but she still knelt down and gently scooped up her bond bird. Keri attempted to flap her wings. "No, no, Keri, be _still_," ordered Kokoro through gritted teeth. "You must be still, Keri. _Please._" The owl hawk stopped moving and Kokoro slowly began to climb one of the taller rocks. She had to get high enough up before she tried to get off the rocks - otherwise, she would just dive into the water. But the process of climbing was painful because of her right arm. It was not truly broken, but Keri's was and whatever pain Keri felt, her bonder felt too. _It almost makes me wish I had bonded a smaller bird,_ thought Kokoro, bracing Keri against her chest with her almost useless right arm and using her left to help her climb. Keriaira was a large bird; most owl hawks were. She also was a bon bird and therefore, slightly larger then a normal owl hawk. Yet, Kokoro knew that there was no way around it. She had not been the one to actually initiate the bond. In fact, it was completely the other way around.

~*~FLASHBACK~*~

_*The rain beat hard against the already muddied ground, making it as hard to walk as it was to see. And making climbing along the side of a small ravine almost an act of suicide._

_                "Koro!" called Dart over the drumming rain. "We've been down this path twice! She _isn't_ here!"_

_                "No!" Kokoro yelled back, turning around. "This is the only path she knows, Dart! She's here!" The mud stuck hard to both children and exhaustion had rubbed their tempers hard, but Kokoro was not about to turn back. She was _here_, somewhere on this path. "AHH!"_

_                "Koro!" A large shape swooped down from a nearby tree and over the heads of the two. Kokoro ducked at the last moment, but followed the bird's path across the ravine. It dipped low and disappeared into the small hole. The hole was not far from the lip of the opposite wall and a large ledge jutted out clear into the air._

_                "Something is wrong with that bird." said Dart hesitantly. Kokoro nodded, but in truth hardly heard him. The bird had caused something to stir in the girl and her attention was focused entirely on the cave. "Koro?" She blinked in surprise as her concentration was shattered._

_                "Wha-" A gasp cut her off as images and feelings bombarded her mind suddenly. Darkness. Shadows. Cold. Sick. Help._

_                -_Her little sister crouched and sobbing against the back of a small cave, shivering_.-_

_                "Koro!" Dazed and confused, the young princess could only look up at her friend in shock. Mud caked the entire right side of her body and was splattered across Dart's face. "Koro, answer me if you're alright!" With a cry, she bolted up and to her feet. "Koro!"_

_                "I know where she is!" She raced back up the sloping path, slipping on the thick mud, until she reached a rope-and-plank bridge that stretched across the ravine. Dart was at her heels and followed her across it until she reached the other side. _

_                "Koro, *wait*!" He grabbed her arm, but she tore from his grasp and leapt down onto the small ledge. "Koro!!" Ignoring him, Kokoro ducked into the tiny cave - no more then a hole- and carefully scooped up the tiny child inside. The littler girl gave a weak cry of joy and buried her tiny face in her older sister's shoulder. As she cried herself to sleep, Kokoro stroked her hair and watched the bird that sat not a foot from her, feathers puffed against the cold. Without asking, the girl knew... she knew the bird instantly and it knew her in return. _

_                "Keriaira..."_

~*~End Flashback~*~

                _Keri chose me. Out of three present that day - Dart, who was strong even then, and my little sister, who had so much potential in her, Keri chose me. But we've adjusted to each other. We're a team now, partners, and nothing can take that away._ With a careful dive, Kokoro spread her dragoon wings and swooped low, just above the surface of the water. Her balance was offset by the bundle in her arms, but she pulled up just that much more, so even flying crooked, she was still above the water. Ahead of her, Rion had reached the yellow dragon and both were locked in a ferocious dance of claws and beaks. Except for the differing colors, it was hard to see where one began and the other ended. Kokoro could hear their battle of words, as she was sure the other dragoons could. 

                _Give up, _al'niara_! A new order is coming and we have no room for old traditions!_

                _I will not give in, you little _al'ri_! The world has no room for _duiar_ like you!_ Kokoro smiled to herself and shook her head. Even _if_ the others could hear it, some of it would make no sense.

                Duiar, she thought fondly. _If I'm not mistaken, that's your nickname for me, Rion._ But she kept her comments to herself only. The older dragon need not be distracted from the task at hand. 

                "Koro! Up here!" Kokoro paused her thoughts and looked up as Meru and Miranda descended from above. "Come on, Koro," urged Meru. "Haschel and Albert already took Carlais to the land. It's not safe on the water anymore."

                "I agree," said Kokoro, nodding. "Come on. The yellow will not survive and it will be desperate when it realizes this. We _must_ get to land."

***

                The sand burst up in angry clouds as the three female dragoons landed on the beach and were greeted by their other three companions. Behind them, grey light flashed and with a great roar of pain, the yellow dragon crumbled to the sea. Through the steam that rose up came a call of triumph from Rion.

                "What happens now?" asked Albert, standing next to Kokoro. Her dragoon armor vanished is soft //flash// as she watched the grey dragon fly towards them with a graceful calm.

                "We get an explination," she said as it landed gently in the water not far out, causing very few waves for a creature of its size. Kokoro glanced at Carlais, who watched the dragon with no more fear then any of the dragoons. Her suspicions were confirmed, it seemed. _Rion, how is it a dragon that young is alive to attack?_

                _Young Sons and Daughters, there are many fates at work here, more then even the oldest dragons could know. Or maybe it is just that they won't say. But nevertheless, old breeding grounds ring with not only the cries of hatchlings, but yearlings and teenagers as well. And my brothers have told me of more battles instigated by those like the yellow. Ryu Kokoro may not know of what I speak, but you other ones do._ But Kokoro nodded the same as the others, save Carlais, who remained silent.

                "Dart told me," she said. "Of more then one fight with young dragons. But when he first told me the story of Feybrand, I thought it was strange. From what I remembered about the dragons of long ago, they did not attack nor fight in general any human, Winglie, or other creatures. The war with the Winglies to free the human race had quelled all blood lust they had ever had. Then he told me of                 , with the dragon, as a _dragoon_. It almost made sense. The dragoon could have been _controlling_ the dragon-" A low rumble cut her off and Rion lowered his head to give her a long look with his sharp blue eyes.

                _No dragoon may ever control a dragon. The power you have is only a part of what we possess._ Kokoro rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle smack on the beak.

                "Thank you for the bit of _obvious_ logic, Rion," she snapped. "Here was what I was getting at: Feybrand was a new generation dragon, a young one. Somehow, the blood lust was reborn, either through a lack of parental intervention, or the opposite, that he was taught to hate humans and Winglies _from_ his parents. But that _still_ doesn't explain why there are any young ones alive in this day and age. There should be none younger then seven centries, at the _least_, and the yellow was _half_ that."

                "There be ones younger then that," said Carlais grimly. "_Much_ younger, milady _al'hiakio_." Kokoro chuckled and shook her head.

                "In eleven thousand years, I never would have thought to hear that name," she said. "Then I am right to guess you are not a normal bird bonder? You are _al'rahana_, no?" He smirked and nodded his head.

                "I be that, milady. Bonded six years now to the gentlest ones you will ever meet. Al'Rieaka and Al'Thiaras. Wing of the Sky and Wing of the Water, my two be."

                "_Al'Rahana_?" asked Meru. "What's that?"

                Rahana_ is a word from ancient tongue meaning 'bonder of wings', a title given to bird bonders,_ said Rion. Al_ is a suffix given to anything that is dragon related. Al'Rahana are 'bonders of scaley wings'. A very coveted and rare title, may I say, given only to ones who bond dragons._ Carlais' deep laugh over shadowed the several gasps that went through the unsuspecting dragoons.

                "It be that, _al'niara_, it be that. I be only the third that I be knowing, but the others... they be even older then I, in fact. If that be possible." Now it was Kokoro's turn to be surprised and she almost fell over in the process. 

                "_Three_!?" she all but yelled in shock. "Three of you? And you with two to your name alone? How many are the others bonded to?" Carlais scratched his chin thoughtfully and looked skyward.

                "Well... Hitari be bonded to four that I know of, unless Al'Nika's birthing went well, then she be bonded to at least five now. And Kikoai be bonded to... let me see... Al'Brina... Al'Riah... their sons... six? Aye, that seems right. Six then."

                "Six!?"

                "No... I be wrong. If Riah's eldest has a mate now, by which he should, then... maybe it be more. It be years since I be talking to Kikoai. I may be wrong, milady. Milady?" Kokoro was blinking very slowly and taking very deep breaths. 

                _Twelve... or more. Bonded to only three people. Some old enough to have hatchlings of their own. And some of their hatchlings old enough to have mates. Oh, gods above. How many more?_ "Carlais, be perfectly honestly with me. Do Hitari and Kikoai know any _other_ 'al'rahana'?" Carlais smiled broadly.

                "Aye, milady, that they do."

                "Oh... dear." Rion sniffed and nudged the dragoon of dreams in the back. Her arm burst into fresh pain, but she bit back a whimper. "What, Rion?"

                _Do not be such a fool, Ryu Kokoro. I told you many years ago that there were _al'rahana_, same as you _rahana_, running amok in the natural world. Now, if you will all excuse me, I have my own business to attend to._ Kokoro nodded and patted his beak affectionately.

                _Stay away from the breeding grounds, alright? The last thing we need is any child of yours._ The dragon sniffed again, but said nothing in return to her comment as he sauntered further into the water before taking off in the air. They watched him leave in silence, all lost to their own thoughts already.

Chapter 2

                Night swept gracefully over Fueno, like a curtain falling softly. Laughter echoed loudly from its tavern and through the streets as men told tales of a great dragon battle over water. They were instantly tagged as drunks, but they were nonetheless entertainment for the night.

                "There," said Kokoro as she finished bandaging Keriaria's wing. "Better, Keri?" The owl hawk hooted and butted her head against her bondmate's fingers, making Kokoro smiled and Meru giggle.

                "I think that's a yes," she said. "How long will it take to heal, Koro?" Kokoro moved her fingers to the scratch the bir'ds chest and cocked her head to the side.

                "A week, maybe less," she said. "It wasn't as bad a break as I had originally thought and, on top of that, bond birds heal faster then normal birds..." Meru lay back on the bed and stretched her legs out, happy with the answer she had been given. But Miranda still looked troubled.

                "Princess... how is it Carlais is a- a, what was it? _Al'rahana_?" she asked finally after a silence.

                "It... it wasn't something he chose," said Kokoro slowly, thinking hard on her answer. "Bonders never aspire to be bonders. We're all very normal people, in general terms, and lead normal lives. But the birds choose us... no human really knows why." Kokoro sighed regretfully. "Eleven thousand years ago, bird bonders were a hundred times more common then they are now. At least one in every two hundred people - humans _or_ Winglies - was bonded to at least one bird, sometimes even more. _Rahana_ were trusted people, trusted because the birds had chosen them as a partner, therefore, they were very kind and virtuous in nature. The same thing was true with dragons, but _Al'rahana_ were less common and to be _Al'rahana_, you had to be _Rahana_ first. The ones chosen to be _Al'rahana_ were tested by the birds first, before they were bonded by dragons. Sometimes ones who were very good _Rahana_ were not _Al'rahana_ in their nature. Among the population of _Rahana_, _Al'rahana_ numbered from one to every five hundred, to one to every thousand. They were few, but the greatest of all souls. And then... Cina's time of madness came. As he wiped out dragons, he campaigned propaganda against the Rahana and put bounties out for anyone, Winglie or human. _Al'rahana_ were killed same as their bondmates, only they were tortured and publicly humiliated as traitors to the world. So... with more and more people refusing to bond to avoid being hunted down like dogs, the bonding began to grow out of the birds. It still comes back, even now, thousand of years later, but it is so rare and so often refused again that... it may never come again. It is the same with dragon bonds, only time and the deaths of dragon after dragon has caused it to dwindle." Kokoro stopped scratching her bondmate and gently moved her to the head of the bed, where she would sleep for the night. 

                "Isn't there a prophecy about something like this?" asked Meru, rubbing her nose. Miranda nodded.

                "Spoken by the Wingle Lord Cina himself, as he slayed what he thought was the last dragon: "When the dragons call again, all blood shall answer back before it shall be spilt by dragon-hate." But by then, he was so insane, no one knew if he meant the hate of the dragons to the humans and winglies or the hate of the humans to the dragons."

                "Everyone knew by then the old fool was nothing more then that, an old fool," said Kokoro bitterly. "If he had slain _every_ dragon, then how would they call again? But, of course, all of the dragons were dead, so the mistake of following a psychotic old bastard around could not be undone."

                "But dragons escaped, obviously," said Meru thoughtfully. "If they're coming back now."

                "Exactly," said Miranda, nodding her head. Kokoro sat on the bed at the feet of the Winglie and smiled.

                "Not only did some escape, some eggs were left as well. Dragons can take care of themselves from the day they hatch, most breeds anyway. The only ones who really can't are reds, dragons of mountain fire, and whites, dragons of healing light. Of course, morals and such can only be taught by parents but... that is almost impossible in these days."

                "It is a sad thing," said Miranda. "Most people know no more about dragons then they do about dragoons. Dragons are simply a creature of legend to them. Creatures to be hated and feared."

                "And those that know better are so few," added Meru sadly. "And far between that even they were all together, they still could have no effect on the thoughts of the world." Kokoro nodded slowly, then yawned.

                "It has been a long day for all of us," she said, stretching. "In the morning, we can talk easier. Personally, I'm so tired, I'm already half asleep as we speak." 

                "I agree entirely," said Meru sleepily. "Good night, everyone." She rolled over onto her side and was fast asleep before Miranda or Kokoro spoke another word. The two women looked at each other, then just smiled. 

                "Good night, Princess," said Miranda. Kokoro stood up carefully and pulled the blanket up over the shoulders of the young Winglie. 

      "Good night, Miranda. I'll be right back. I'm going to tell the men we're turning in for the night." Miranda nodded as Kokoro stepped from the room and quietly closed the door behind her. _I really wish she wouldn't call me Princess. I'm not that person anymore_


End file.
